Farmers Movement Archive

Punjab elections: Farmers meet Congress, SAD, AAP leaders

Amid the ongoing agitation against the three contentious farm laws, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), comprising 32 farmer organisations, will meet leaders of the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and other parties in Chandigarh on Friday on campaigning for the Punjab assembly elections and agriculture-related issues. Also read: First off the blocks, Akali Dal campaign runs aground amid farm protestsThe meeting – the first formal engagement between the SKM and political parties ahead of the Punjab elections – is crucial in the backdrop of protesting farmers disrupting political rallies and programmes in the state. All political parties, except the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have been invited for the meeting. Sidhu to lead Congress team Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu will lead a three-member team of the ruling party at the meeting. PPCC general secretary Pargat Singh and state working president Kuljit Singh Nagra will accompany him. Kisan wing state chief Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Aman Arora (MLAs) and state unit spokesperson Jagtar Singh Sanghera will represent the principal opposition party at the meeting. The SAD has constituted a four-member committee, comprising Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Prem Singh Chandumajra, Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal and Daljit Singh Cheema, for talks with farmer union leaders. Akalis faced brunt of ire Though leaders of all parties have been at the receiving end of protests by farmers, the Akalis have faced the maximum brunt of their ire. SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had to postpone his Gal Punjab Di campaign last week in the face of protests by farmers in Moga. The farmer leaders, who are protesting at Delhi’s borders for the past nine months, have been asking the political parties to suspend their campaigning till elections are announced as their rallies divert attention from the agitation and diminish its impact. The unions are likely to set the ground rules for rallies after their meeting with political leaders, who are expected to convey their stand on the farm protest. The SKM representatives will meet leaders of each party separately.

Hindustan Times

10-09-2021

Chandigarh